Callie Anderson teaches five American hand gestures non-native speakers should know: air quotes for sarcasm, crossed fingers for good luck, a flat hand tilted side to side for "so-so," rubbing fingers together for money, and thumbs up for approval.
Americans talk with their hands a lot, so let's learn some common hand gestures in the US. If someone uses air quotes when they're talking, they're probably being sarcastic. For example, if I say, "He said it was an accident," whatever happened was probably on purpose. Crossing your fingers means good luck or I hope so. I hope I pass my test. This means so-so, not good, not bad. Eh, the food was so-so. If you rub your thumb and the rest of your fingers together, it means money. He's got money. This means okay or good. If someone is watching me work and they do this, it means that I'm doing a good job.
